Town Steps Up to Help Local Businesses

When Chapel Hill business owners thought their luck had run out, Orange County and the town of Chapel Hill came to the rescue.

Three weeks ago, local business owners thought they'd be responsible for hauling empty cardboard boxes to dump sites themselves. The Chapel Hill Downtown Commission's agreement with a private hauler ended last week. Businesses were facing the expensive option of renewing the contract collectively at $10,000 per year.

But now Orange County and the town of Chapel Hill have stepped up, offering once-a-week pickups at two sites in downtown Chapel Hill. Orange County Solid Waste Management Department began making the weekly pickups last Tuesday. Town officials will continue to monitor this new approach to make sure the program runs smoothly.